We have targeted our initial security solutions to the large automotive sector, but our basic technology has applications to a variety of assets which span several business sectors including industrial equipment, office equipment and consumer electronic products. Our R&D team is currently working on expanding the potential applications of our technology. In parallel, we are continuously on the look out to acquire technology and/or product solutions that would be complementary to our current product offerings, or that we could potentially leverage through our existing customers.
In terms of actual achievements, our security solution business segment produced disappointing results in the quarter ended December 31, 2004. Different reasons accounted for our lack of performance in this segment. First, it has become apparent that our distribution model which is based on agreements with third parties does not work as effectively as our management had anticipated. To rely on third parties whose priorities and objectives are not necessarily synchronized with ours is not most effective. Further, our sales in this segment are generally made at high levels of decision and we believe the best way to handle the process is with direct account executives. Although initially more expensive as there is an immediate impact on our direct cost, we believe the building a small but effective direct sales team will lead to much improved results. In time, as we begin leveraging the existing clientele of security service business and develop cross-selling opportunities, we believe this can only lead to m uch better results.
Second, where we had potentially substantial orders, as our Company was beginning shipments, we encountered technical difficulties impacting on the long term reliability of our products. As opposed to deliver products which may have proved later to be faulty and, given the difficulty and expenses related with the replacements of installed units, our management took the conscious decision of stopping shipments until the technical issues identified were corrected. This along with customization requirements from potentially important customers has seriously limited our capacity to generate meaningful revenue in the said period. As other emerging companies, we are finding that our sales force has a tendency to market solutions in development as opposed to current and available products, all causing delays in our ability to deliver actual results.
Definitive measures to improve our sales and marketing approach and our ability to deliver product solutions of the highest quality are now being implemented and, although we are now on the right track, we expect that the above issues will continue to impact our results in the current quarter. These measures have included last January the appointment of Mr. Guy Chevrette as Chief Operating Officer of our Company. Mr. Chevrette brings to us more than 20 years of management and business development experience in the high-technology sector. He is a seasoned business executive with a strong technical background in information technology applied to wireless data communication used to improve enterprise asset management. Mr. Chevrette now oversees product development, production and testing, as well as marketing and sales of our current solutions in the security sector. We believe the addition of Mr. Chevrette to our management team will be extremely helpful toward the attainment of our future success.
On the positive side, despite the difficulties we encountered, our customers have been most comprehensive and have in fact reacted positively to the way our Company has handled the situation. We can now safely say that our current solutions geared toward the financial industry have certainly passed the stage of commercial proof of concept. This reflected by strong indications of interest toward our solutions from potentially large customers and, as soon as our Company has corrected still outstanding issues, substantial revenue are expected to be achieved from our security solutions.
Results of Operations
Our revenue for the three and six months ended December 31 2004 was $548,861 and $1,188,891. C-Chip technology products accounted for revenue of $43,305 and $195,342 compared to $148,036 and $148,036 in 2003. Service revenues from CSA were $505,553 and $993,549 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2004. Gross margin for the three and six months ended December 31 2004 was $184,644 and $368,074. Our net loss for the three and six months ended December 31, 2004 was $598,562 and $1,280,083 (2003 - $605,634 and $2,311,732). We remain a development stage company with a prime focus on commercializing technology acquired in 2003.
Operating expenses for this quarter were $777,779 compared to $687,223 for the same period in 2003. Selling, General and Administration expenses, which exclude stock based compensation of $183,850 compared to $118,005 in the prior year period, were $387,444 compared to $518,576 reflecting reduced marketing and consulting expenses. Research and development expenses for the three months ended December 31 2004 were $159,881 compared to $6,526 in 2003. Due to the nature of our emerging business none of the 2004 results are indicative of future results.
Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources
The Company is engaged in the development and the marketing of security products and providing security services through Canadian Security Agency (2004) Inc. Operations have been financed primarily from cash on hand from the sale of common shares.
As of December 31 2004 we had working capital of $800,324 compared to $1,567,254 at June 30, 2004. Net cash used for operations during the six months ended December 31, 2004 was $732,469 (2003 - $532,657). The decrease in working capital was largely due to a decrease in cash of $1,030,940, repayments of the credit line of $96,151 and increases in accounts receivable and other assets of $24,153 and $62,315, respectively. As of December 31 2004 our current liabilities were $673,504 compared to $850,283 at June 30, 2004. Of the amounts owed by us December 31 2004, a total of $138,320 ($230,726 at June 30 2004) was due to related parties.
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Net cash used for operations during the six months ended December 31 2004 was $732,469 (2003 - $532,657). Capital assets of $12,506 were acquired during the period (2003 - $6,681). Operations and capital additions were funded from cash on hand ($1,561,020), payment received on Note receivable ($71,090), and proceeds from exercise of stock options of $147,293.
As of December 31 2004, our Company's total assets were $2,029,695. This compares with our Company's assets of $3,053,936 at June 30, 2004. The decrease in our total assets was primarily attributable to loss from operations.
Until the Company is able to finance itself through profitable operations it will continue to rely on cash on hand, advances from related parties and equity issues.
Critical Accounting Policies
The Company's discussion and analysis of its financial condition and results of operations are based upon the financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of financial statements require management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and disclosures on the date of the financial statements. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including, but not limited to, those related to revenue recognition. The Company uses authoritative pronouncements, historical experience and other assumptions as the basis for making judgments. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Critical accounting policies identified are as follows:
Long-Lived Assets
In accordance with SFAS No. 144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets", the Company tests long-lived assets or asset groups for recoverability when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Circumstances which could trigger a review include, but are not limited to: significant decreases in the market price of the asset; significant adverse changes in the business climate or legal factors; accumulation of costs significantly in excess of the amount originally expected for the acquisition or construction of the asset; current period cash flow or operating losses combined with a history of losses or a forecast of continuing losses associated with the use of the asset; and current expectation that the asset will more likely than not be sold or disposed significantly before the end of its estimated useful life.
Recoverability is assessed based on the carrying amount of the asset and its fair value which is generally determined based on the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and the eventual disposal of the asset, as well as specific appraisal in certain instances. An impairment loss is recognized when the carrying amount is not recoverable and exceeds fair value.
Foreign Currency Transactions/Balances
The Company's reporting currency is the U.S. dollar and its functional currency is the Canadian dollar. Occasional transactions occur in U.S. dollars, and management has adopted SFAS No. 52, "Foreign Currency Translation". Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at rates of exchange in effect at the balance sheet date. Average rates for the year are used to translate revenues and expenses. Resulting translation gains and losses are accumulated in a separate component of stockholders' equity as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss.
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Stock-Based Compensation
The Company has elected to apply the intrinsic value method of accounting in accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees" (APB25). Under the intrinsic value method of accounting, compensation expense is recognized if the exercise price of the Company's employee stock options is less than the market price of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Stock-based compensation for employees is recognized on the straight-line basis over the vesting period of the individual options. Stock options granted to non-employees are accounted for under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation" (SFAS 123), which establishes a fair value based method of accounting for stock-based awards, and recognizes compensation expense based on the fair value of the stock award or fair value of the goods and services received, whichever is more reliably measurable. Under the provisions of SFAS 123, companies that elec t to account for stock-based awards in accordance with the provisions of APB 25 are required to disclose the pro forma net income (loss) that would have resulted from the use of the fair value based method under SFAS 123.
Revenue Recognition
The Company's C-Chip technology is still in the development stage and has generated limited commercial sales of products. The Company developed prototypes for testing by potential customers, which were billed for a portion of the costs incurred. The Company recorded these cost recoveries when paid as a credit to the respective expense in the statement of operations. Commercial product sales are recorded when shipped as part of a sales agreement, usually by customer purchase order. Certain product sales contain a small charge for after sales service for up to one year; such amounts are deferred and recognized as revenue when earned. Products carry a one-year replacement warranty and there is insufficient warranty experience on which to establish a warranty reserve during the development stage.
Sales of security services commenced on the acquisition of Canadian Security Agency (2004) Inc. during fiscal 2004. Clients are provided ongoing personnel and products based upon service agreements with revenue recognized as services are performed.
The Company continually monitors timely payments and assesses any collection issues. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on the Company's detailed assessment of the collectibility of specific customer accounts. Any significant customer accounts that are not expected to be collected are excluded from revenues.
The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 104 ("SAB 104"), "Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements." Revenue is recognized only when the price is fixed or determinable, persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the service is performed, and collectibility is reasonably assured.
Purchased Intangible Assets
An acquired intangible asset that represents technology that has reached technological feasibility is capitalized at cost. Amortization is calculated using the straight-line method over four years commencing in the first quarterly period following acquisition. Acquired in-process research and development is charged to operations on acquisition.
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Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2004, FASB issued SFAS No. 153, "Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets - An Amendment of APB Opinion No. 29". The guidance in APB Opinion No. 29, "Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions", is based on the principle that exchanges of nonmonetary assets should be measured based on the fair value of the assets exchanged. The guidance in that Opinion, however, included certain exceptions to that principle. SFAS No. 153 amends Opinion No. 29 to eliminate the exception for nonmonetary exchanges of similar productive assets and replaces it with a general exception for exchanges of nonmonetary assets that do not have commercial substance. A nonmonetary exchange has commercial substance if the future cash flows of the entity are expected to change significantly as a result of the exchange. The provisions of SFAS No. 153 are effective for nonmonetary asset exchanges occurring in fiscal periods beginning after June 15, 2005. Early application is permitted and companies must apply the standard prospectively. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material effect on the Company's results of operations or financial position.
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (SFAS) No. 123R, "Share Based Payment". SFAS 123R is a revision of SFAS No. 123 "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation", and supersedes APB Opinion No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees" and its related implementation guidance. SFAS 123R establishes standards for the accounting for transactions in which an entity exchanges its equity instruments for goods or services. It also addresses transactions in which an entity incurs liabilities in exchange for goods or services that are based on the fair value of the entity's equity instruments or that may be settled by the issuance of those equity instruments. SFAS 123R focuses primarily on accounting for transactions in which an entity obtains employee services in share-based payment transactions. SFAS 123R does not change the accounting guidance for share-based payment transactions with parties other than employees provided in SFAS 123 as originally issued and Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 96-18, "Accounting for Equity Instruments That Are Issued to Other Than Employees for Acquiring, or in Conjunction with Selling, Goods or Services". SFAS 123R does not address the accounting for employee share ownership plans, which are subject to AICPA Statement of Position 93-6, "Employers' Accounting for Employee Stock Ownership Plans". SFAS 123R requires a public entity to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award (with limited exceptions). That cost will be recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award - the requisite service period (usually the vesting period). SFAS 123R requires that the compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions be recognized in financial statements. That cost will be measured based on the fair value of the equity or liability instrument s issued. The scope of SFAS 123R includes a wide range of share-based compensation arrangements including share options, restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans. Public entities (other than those filing as small business issuers) will be required to apply SFAS 123R as of the first interim or annual reporting period that begins after June 15, 2005. Public entities that file as small business issuers will be required to apply SFAS 123R in the first interim or annual reporting period that begins after December 15, 2005. For nonpublic entities, SFAS 123R must be applied as of the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2005. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material effect on the Company's results of operations or financial position.
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ITEM 3. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Quarterly evaluation of our disclosure controls and internal controls
Within the 90 days prior to the date of this quarterly report on Form 10-QSB, we evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our "disclosure controls and procedures" (Disclosure Controls), and our "internal controls and procedures for financial reporting" (Internal Controls). This evaluation (the Controls Evaluation) was done under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief executive officer (CEO) and chief financial officer (CFO). Our CEO performs the same functions as a principal executive officer and our CFO performs the same functions as a principal financial officer. Rules adopted by the SEC require that in this section of the quarterly report we present the conclusions of our CEO and our CFO about the effectiveness of our Disclosure Controls and Internal Controls based on and as of the date of the Controls Evaluation.
CEO and CFO certifications
Appearing immediately following the signatures section of this quarterly report there are two separate forms of "Certifications" of the CEO and the CFO. The first form of Certification is required in accord with Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Section 302 Certification). This section of the quarterly report which you are currently reading is the information concerning the Controls Evaluation referred to in the Section 302 Certifications and this information should be read in conjunction with the Section 302 Certifications for a more complete understanding of the topics presented.
Disclosure controls and internal controls
Disclosure Controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act), such as this quarterly report, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) rules and forms. Disclosure Controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the CEO and CFO, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Internal Controls are procedures which are designed with the objective of providing reasonable assurance that (1) our transactions are properly authorized; (2) our assets are safeguarded against unauthorized or improper use; and (3) our transactions are properly recorded and reported, all to permit the preparation of our financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting p rinciples.
Limitations on the effectiveness of controls
Our management, including our CEO and CFO, confirm that the control systems are at the "reasonable assurance" level, however, management does not expect that our Disclosure Controls or our Internal Controls will prevent all error and all fraud as a control system. No matter how well conceived and operated, they cannot provide absolute assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within our company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can
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be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the control. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. However, upon discovery that the controls are inadequate, they will be changed.
Scope of the controls evaluation
Our CEO/CFO evaluation of our Disclosure Controls and our Internal Controls included a review of the controls' objectives and design, the controls' implementation by us and the effect of the controls on the information generated for use in this quarterly report. In the course of the Controls Evaluation, we sought to identify data errors, controls problems or acts of fraud and to confirm that appropriate corrective action, including process improvements, were being undertaken. This type of evaluation will be done on a quarterly basis so that the conclusions concerning controls effectiveness can be reported in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-QSB and Annual Report on Form 10-KSB. Our independent auditors in connection with their audit and review activities also evaluate our Internal Controls on an ongoing basis. The overall goals of these various evaluation activities are to monitor our Disclosure Controls and our Internal Controls and to make modifications as necessary; our intent in this regard is that th e Disclosure Controls and the Internal Controls will be maintained as dynamic systems that change (including with improvements and corrections) as conditions warrant.
Among other matters, we sought in our evaluation to determine whether there were any "significant deficiencies" or "material weaknesses" in our Internal Controls, or whether we had identified any acts of fraud involving personnel who have a significant role in our Internal Controls. This information was important both for the Controls Evaluation generally and because items 5 and 6 in the Section 302 Certifications of the CEO and CFO require that the CEO and CFO disclose that information to our Board's Audit Committee and to our independent auditors and to report on related matters in this section of the quarterly report. In the professional auditing literature, "significant deficiencies" are referred to as "reportable conditions"; these are control issues that could have a significant adverse effect on the ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data in the financial statements. A "material weakness" is defined in the auditing literature as a particularly serious reportable condition wh ere the internal control does not reduce to a relatively low level the risk that misstatements caused by error or fraud may occur in amounts that would be material in relation to the financial statements and not be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course of performing their assigned functions. We also sought to deal with other controls matters in the Controls Evaluation, and in each case if a problem was identified, we considered what revision, improvement and/or correction to make in accord with our on-going procedures.
In accord with SEC requirements, our CEO and CFO note that, since the date of the Controls Evaluation to the date of this Quarterly Report, there have been no significant changes in Internal Controls or in other factors that could significantly affect Internal Controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
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Conclusions
Based upon the Controls Evaluation, our CEO and CFO have concluded that, our Disclosure Controls are effective to ensure that material information relating to us and our subsidiary is made known to management, including our CEO and CFO, particularly during the period when our periodic reports are being prepared, and that our Internal Controls are effective to provide reasonable assurance that our financial statements are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
PART II
ITEM 2. CHANGES IN SECURITIES
No securities were sold by us without registration during the period from September 30, 2004 to December 31, 2004:
ITEM 6. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
a) | Exhibit No. | Document |
| | |
| 31.1 | Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e), promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended |
| | |
| 31.2 | Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e), promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended |
| | |
| 32.1 | Certification Pursuant To 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant To Section 906 Of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Chief Executive Officer) |
| | |
| 32.2 | Certification Pursuant To 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant To Section 906 Of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Chief Financial Officer) |
b) Reports on Form 8-K
The following reports on Form 8-K were filed during the quarter:
On the 13th day of October, 2004, we reported the results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004.
On the 22nd day of October, 2004, we reported Claude Pellerin resigned from C-Chip Technologies Corp. as Vice-President of the company.
On the 12th day of November, 2004, we reported that we have entered into a Letter of Intent with Broadfield Partners to form a comprehensive alliance for the distribution of C-Chip products in Europe.
On the 24th day of November, 2004, we reported the security solutions attracted significant interest at the SEMA show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) held in Las Vegas November 2 through November 5.
On the 24th day of November, 2004, we reported results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2004.
On the 3rd day of December, 2004, we reported we have entered into a strategic partnership with Rent Centric, Inc., a leader in the provisioning of software solutions to the car rental industry.
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SIGNATURES
In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on this 22nd day of February 2005.
| C-CHIP TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION |
| (Registrant) |
| | |
| BY: | /s/ Stephane Solis |
| | Stephane Solis, President, Principal Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors |
| | |
| BY: | /s/ Benjamin Leboe |
| | Benjamin Leboe, Principal Financial Officer |
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